What or whom do you fear? Mark 3-4

Mark 4:37-41 (NASBStr)

And there *arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up. Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they *woke Him and *said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. And He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” They became very much afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”

What makes you fear the most?   What are you really afraid of?  Rejection? Failure? Being found out? Appearing as you don't care? Our fears reveal our beliefs.   When we can identify our fears we can identify what we actually believe.  Note the above passage.   The disciples and Jesus are in a boat making their way across the Sea of Galilee.  A storm begins to rage (not unlikely on the Galilean Sea), but Jesus is fast asleep in the boat.   The disciples are worried.  They were fearful for their lives.  Why?  They obviously believed that the storm could destroy them and take their lives.   They believed they were perishing.  When they awaken Jesus and He calms the sea with the very WORDS of His mouth, they are astonished and amazed.  It says, "they became very much afraid" when they saw what Jesus did.    The old fear (perishing in the storm) was replaced by the new fear (respect and awe of God).  The old fear was of the flesh, the new fear was of faith.   The old fear was based upon the belief of the power of a storm, the new fear was based upon the power of the Son of God over all things.     When we sin it is because we "believe" that the thing we are going to gain by our sinning will satisfy a fear in our heart (not having the thing that the sin gives us).   Our fears are the opposite side of our beliefs.   When can only fear sin when we believe in God and His power to provide us what we need.  The disciples were given a great blessing in the above story.  The first fear made way for the best fear.    When we are in the storms of life we have the opportunity to know and learn and develop our Fear for God.    Remember, the Fear of God is the beginning of Knowledge (Proverbs 9:10).   Make sure you fear the right way and the right One.